Article handling apparatus



y 1958 H. Q. JOHNSON 2,833,317 ARTICLE HANDLING APPARATUS I f Filed Dec. s, 1956 INVENTOR. HOYT Q. JOHNJON ATTORNEY BY 217 H gh United States 1 atent ARTICLE HANDLING APPARATUS Hoyt Q. Johnson, Decatur, Ga. Application December 3, 1956, Serial No. 625,790

5 Claims. (Cl. 141-270) This invention relates to article handling apparatus, and is particularly concerned with the storing, dispensing and restoring of articles such assrnall mechanical parts such as nuts, screws, bolts, clips, pins and the like.

In the handling of multiple types of small parts at a repair bench or assembly table, extreme ditficulty is encountered in maintaining readily accessible separated lots of such parts. Where individual open trays for the individual parts are maintained, intermingling frequently results. Furthermore, such parts are exposed and are subject to contamination and deterioration; and return of unused parts, after a repair or assembly operation, is-either tedious and time consuming or subject to error by which parts are returned to an inappropriate tray. Where in-,

dividual closed receptacles are provided for the individual groups of elements, it is difiicult to provide a permanent and convenient location for the receptacle so that parts therein may be recognized fromtheir position, and the dispensing of a small but uncounted number may be tedious. A more important difiiculty lies in the return of the surplus unusedsmall parts to their individual receptacles, since such individual normally closed receptacles are frequently in the form of bottles or jars with restricted neck openings, the articles must either be placed individually into the receptacle or must be funneled therein as by the cupping of the hand of the ope rator. Obviously, on the one hand, 'such individual replacement ofthe articles is time consuming and diflicult, while on the other hand the articles tend to spill and fall without entrance into the receptacle. v

The present invention provides novel and improved means for handling individual types of small articles by providing a rack for permanently locating and mounting the open ends of individual jar-like receptacles in such manner as to permit the receptacles to be readily withdrawn from their enclosing support so that'a small but unspecified number of such articles may be discharged to a convenient location. The invention-also provides a tiltable and preferably shallow dish-like receiver or tray for the articles of any group in which they are in convenient reach of an operator and from which unused articles may i be conveniently redeposited by theoperator to their individual receptacleswithout danger of intermingling with articles of other types.

The invention further provides a guide or funnel-like structure operably associated with the tray by which the articles from the tray may be received and guided to the restricted mouth of the receptacle from which they were" articles of another type, means are provided to block the passage of articles from the tray to the funnel until such time as the funnel is operated by the application of the receptacle to cause discharge of the articles from the tray thereto.

It will therefore be seen that it is among the more general objects of the present invention to provide a novel and improved article handling apparatus including permanently located stations for individual small article receptacles from which the receptacles may be conveniently withdrawn to discharge articles therefrom together with means by which surplus articles withdrawn from the receptacles and unused in the repair or assembly op eration may be readily and conveniently restored to the receptacles from which they have been withdrawn.

More specifically, the present invention provides for a novel and improved receptacle support assembly by which a plurality of individual receptacles may be conveniently supported in permanent location and by which the open mouth of the receptacles may be temporarily closed while in their permanent location.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved loading means for depositing small groups of small parts into relatively narrow mouthed receptacles.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a loading means for small articles to be deposited in individual receptacles operable by the presentation of the receptacle to the device, the movement of the receptacle in its application being automatically operable to discharge the articles through the mouth thereof.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide in combination with an article receiving tray means for receiving articles therefrom and for tunneling the same to a receptacle, said means being automatically operable to discharge articles upon presentation of the receptacle to the guide means.

A further important object of the present invention is to provide article handling equipment including in combination means for conveniently and permanently locating individual receptacles together with means for conveniently returning articles to the receptacle in the event that all articles discharged from the receptacles are not used.

Numerous other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from consideration of the following specification taken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a front elevation of one preferred form of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of that form of the invention shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on the line 33 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail front elevation of a receptacle with the bracket therefor, the receptacle being removed from the bracket.

.In the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates a bench or table for the assembly or repair of devices involving the use of small parts such as optical, horological or electrical equipment. It is of course understood that the invention is in no way limited or restricted to the use of any such small parts but may be widely employed particularly in any type of operation where various types of small arti-' :cles are employed, either for dispensing or refilling of individual receptacles. It will further be understood that while a table or workbench 10 is here indicated the support does not form any part of the present inventionand the device may be erected where desired and without any;

particular relationship to any specific work surface.

Mounted on the table or bench 10 there is provided a generally U-shaped inverted frame including vertical side walls 11 and a horizontal transverse upper shelf member 12. On the under face 13 of the shelf 12, there are provided spaced individual receptacle mouth receiving brackets 14, each. including inwardly facing side channels 15 forming opposed guides for the reception of the mouth 16 of small jar or bottle-like receptacles 17. As here shown, there are provided three equally spaced brackets 14 on each side of the shelf 12. it will of course be understood that the location and spacing of the brackets 14 for the reception of the receptacles may widely vary in accordance with the demands of the particular operatlon for which the device is designed. The arrangement is such, however, that the top fiat surface of the brackets 14 provides a cover for the receptacle mouth when the receptacles are positioned therein, and the bracket provides ready means by which the individual receptacles may be selected and withdrawn from their brackets so that small but indiscriminate numbers of the articles contained therein may be dispensed.

Mounted at the front edge 20 of the shelf 12, preferably at' the center thereof and depending downwardly therefrom, is a housing including'a vertical back panel 21, side pieces 22 and an upwardly slanting bottom 23 which is centrally apertured as at 24. Slidably mounted for vertical and rearward movement within the housing and being guided by the side 22 thereof and the aperture 24 in the bottom 23, there is provided a guide or funnel 25, the lower tubular end of which forms a discharge nozzle 26 surrounded by a receptacle engaging flange 27. Walls 28 above the flange 27 guide the nozzle against lateral displacement in its movement.

Mounted at the top of the housing between the sides 22 and pivotally supported by transverse bar 30 is a small parts tray 31 pivotally movable upon the bar 30 from horizontal position as shown in Fig. 3 to a tilted position shown by the dotted lines whereby the bottom surface of the tray forms an incline permitting small articles laid on the tray while in horizontal position to slide rearwardly on the tray to be discharged within the upper portion of the guide or funnel 25. It will be understood of course that articles so dropping through the funnel will emerge at the end 26 within the receptacle 17. The front face of the guide or funnel is cut away to form a terminal edge 32 which bears against the lower surface of the tray 31 to normally retain the tray in horizontal position.

When a receptacle is placed about the mouth 26 of the funnel and against the flange 27 and is urged upwardly, the funnel will move to the dotted line position shown in Fig; 3 thus tilting upwardly the front edge of the tray to dispose thesame in the inclined position of the dotted lines. of small articles from the tray rearwardly to the funnel, a vertical guard wall 33 is provided which normally rests against the tray as shown in the full line position. The guard 33 is joined by a horizontal wall 34 to the upper extension 35; of the rear wall of the funnel.

In the operation of the tray and funnel assembly which is designed to return unused elements to the selected jar.

or receiver 17, the mouth of the jar is placed against the flange 27 and by upward movement thereof the guide or funnel is caused to assume the dotted line position shown during which movement the front edge 32 will engage the lower surface of the tray to move the tray in counterclockwise rotation, whereby the parts disposed thereon will be discharged into the trough which will guide them through its mouth 26 into the receptacle 17. While the invention is not limited nor restricted to any particular mode of operation or type of work conducted by the operator, it is suggested that in assembly or repair work the operator may dispose the assembly with which he isengaged on the table 10. The parts which are to be first applied are selected from one of thereceptacles 17,

To preclude inadvertent or premature discharge and by withdrawing the receptacle from its bracket 14 the mouth of the receptacle will be open to permit the discharge of a group of parts usually exceeding those required for the particular operation at hand. The receptacle may then be set aside; and, after the required parts are used, the remainder may be dropped into the tray 31, thereafter the selected receptacle is disposed with its mouth against the flange 27 and urged upwardly to move the funnel upwardly, thereby tilting the tray and discharging the articles into the funnel for movement downwardly therein and through the mouth 26 into the selected receptacle which may then conveniently be returned to its particular bracket. 7 I

It will of course be understood that in the construction and operation of the apparatus here shown numerous changes, modifications and the full use of equivalents may be resorted to without departure 'from the spirit or scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An article handling apparatus including a tiltably mounted article tray, a funnel type chute having an open mouth communicating with said tray, means for mounting said chute for bodily movement, and means for tilting said tray in response to the bodily movement of said chute.

2. An article handling apparatus including a tiltably mounted article tray, a funnel type chute having an open mouth communicating with said tray, means for mounting said chute for bodily movement, and means for tilting said tray in response to the bodily movement of said chute, together with means for precluding movement of articles from said tray to said chute until said tray is tilted.

3. An article handling apparatus including a tiltably mounted article tray, a funnel type chute having an open mouth communicating with said tray, means for mounting said chute for bodily movement, and means for tilting said tray in response to the bodily movement of said chute, together with meansfor precluding movement of articles from saidtray to said chute until said tray is tilted, said means including a lip carried by said chute and engaging said tray.

4. An article handling apparatus including a tiltably mounted article tray, a funnel type chute having an open mouth communicating with said tray, means for mounting said chute for bodily movement, and means for tilting said tray in response to the bodily'movement of said chute, together with means for precluding movement of articles from said tray to said chute until said tray is tilted, said means including a lip carried by said chute and engaging said tray and being movable from said tray upon bodily movement of said chute.

5. An article handling apparatus including a tiltably mounted article tray, a funnel type chute having an open mouth communicating with said tray, means for mounting said chute for bodily movement, and means for tilting said tray in response to the bodily movement of said chute, together with means for precluding movement of articles from said tray to said chute until said tray is tilted, said means including a lip carried by said chute and engaging said tray and being movable from said tray upon bodily movement of said chute, said chute having receptacle engaging means whereby the chute may b moved by the application of force to a receptacle engaging said chute.

Ellis Feb. 12, 1884 Doepke et al. July 17, 1956 

